Penetration Testing mailing list archives
Re: Unix Application,
From: Claudio Broglia <xeon () sysroot eu>
Date: Tue, 22 May 2007 15:34:04 +0200
Quoting IRM <irm () iinet net au>:
Dear all, On my recent pen test, I have seen on Unix Apps (written in C) relies on UNIX authentication (/etc/passwd and /etc/group) to determine which functionalities the user can access to. 1) My first question would be what is the rationale of having such design? Obviously the authentication design is open to not only the application users but to the operating system users.
Yes, application's users would also access system shell. But the idea of having users managed by system, instead of a separate database, is that you can share them across multiple applications, managing centrally rights and permissions, or make them access other services (mail, ftp, etc.). I don't like this very much, but depending on the situation it could be the "right way to do it".
2) I know on some Unix/Linux flavors, the system could enforce the user to change their password every X days. If I am not wrong this setting can be set through "/etc/shadow" but what if the user never accesses their Shell? Would it still enforce the user to change their password? (say on /etc/passwd; username .......: :::::: /bin/apps - instead of /bin/sh) - so when the user is actually connect to the terminal, its automatically run the application and not a shell - if I am not wrong .Profile is run after /bin/sh is called? Cheers, John,
Well, if the application checking for what groups the user belong to don't make the user validate, so doesn't check for account enabled/disabled/expired password/whatsoever, this setting would be obviously ignored.
bye xeon
Attachment:
_bin
Description: PGP Digital Signature
Current thread:
- Wireless penetration testing spencerforhire (May 20)
- Unix Application, IRM (May 21)
- Re: Unix Application, Pranay Kanwar (May 21)
- Re: Unix Application, R. DuFresne (May 21)
- Re: Unix Application, Claudio Broglia (May 22)
- Re: Wireless penetration testing Matt Ahrens (May 21)
- Unix Application, IRM (May 21)